The Royal Caribbean cruise ship Navigator of the Sea is docked at PortMiami on March 2, 2021 in Miami, Florida.
Joe Raedle | Getty Images
The trade group for the world’s largest cruise lines appealed to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday to allow a gradual resumption of sailings from US ports in early July.
In a press release, Kelly Craighead, president of the Cruise Lines International Association, said the CDC’s position does not reflect the current circumstances of the pandemic, nor the accelerated rollout of Covid vaccines.
Cruise lines said the early July timeframe is in line with President Joe Biden’s goal for when the US will be “closer to normal”. In his first primetime address to the nation as president, Biden said earlier this month that Americans should be able to meet in person with their friends and loved ones in small groups to celebrate the Fourth of July.
With hotels, casinos and airlines beginning to see a recovery in bookings, most cruise ships remain inactive, waiting for the CDC to make a decision on when to resume US sailings. It has now been more than 12 months since the cruise lines stopped all US sailings due to Covid.
“Cruise lines should be treated the same as other travel, tourism, hospitality and entertainment sectors,” said Craighead of CLIA in the press release.
While some cruises have resumed some sailings in Europe and Asia, the US still represents the largest market, which is where the industry derives most of its profit.
Some cruise lines have looked into alternative options to welcome customers back on board and not miss the crucial summer sailing season.
Royal Caribbean has announced two new sailings, one from the new home port of Nassau, Bahamas and another from Bermuda. Both cruises depart in June and do not stop in US ports. Instead, Royal Caribbean will take advantage of its private island – Perfect Day CocoCay and also stop in Cozumel, Mexico.